Estamos listos para posibles apagones o emergencias

The Community of Madrid successfully faced the electrical blackout on April 28th, as explained by Fátima Matute, Health Counselor, in an interview on Buenos Días Madrid de Onda Madrid. «We always have to prepare for the worst-case scenario, and we are ready for another blackout or any other eventuality,» Matute said, highlighting that the coordination between healthcare professionals, management teams, and suppliers has allowed for uninterrupted assistance without any adverse incidents.

The Health Department acted swiftly to ensure electric supply in hospitals and health centers. «The first thing we did was to ensure there was electric supply, we contacted the diesel suppliers to keep those generators running,» Matute pointed out. They also coordinated with oxygen suppliers to assist electro-dependent patients and those requiring oxygen therapy, setting up specific areas in hospitals, such as El Zendal, which provided up to 280 beds in record time.

Autonomy up to 3 days in hospitals

The autonomy of the generator groups was crucial, with an estimated duration of 48 hours to three days depending on the size of the diesel tanks. «We created a table to see where we needed to replenish diesel and approximately there was autonomy from 48 hours to three days,» the counselor explained. Although the National Critical Infrastructure Center did not provide the expected diesel, the Community managed the supply on its own, ensuring more than 900 scheduled surgeries that day.

On the other hand, the cold chain for medications and plasma remained intact thanks to the generators in health centers, hospitals, and the transfusion center. «We had explicit coordination to preserve all that material and also contacted the pharmacists’ association,» Matute stated. Pharmacies, both hospital and street pharmacies, operated without issues, and the General Directorate of Public Health checked for possible breaks in the cold chain.

Prepared for future blackouts

The experience has strengthened the preparedness of the Madrid healthcare system. The counselor emphasized the importance of coordination and the public service vocation of professionals, which allowed for prioritizing the lives and health of citizens. «We have been able to meet the needs of our Madrilenian citizens,» she emphasized.

40% increase in living wills

Additionally, Matute discussed with Ely del Valle on Onda Madrid the significant increase in living wills in the Community, with a 40% rise in health centers and a 65% increase in total advance directives. «The living will allows all citizens to express, freely and in advance, how they want to be treated and cared for,» she explained, highlighting its usefulness in situations of unconsciousness or mental illnesses.

The process is simple and accessible in 110 health centers, 35 public hospitals, 17 private hospitals, nursing homes, and specialty centers. «There are 110 health centers where the healthcare administrative staff can help you create this living will,» Matute pointed out. The information is available on the Health Department’s website, and the procedure has been streamlined to facilitate its use.

Although there are no definitive data yet, the counselor noted that the predominant profile includes young people aware of the importance of not burdening their families, as well as oncology patients. «There is a profile of young people who are more aware of avoiding burdening their families with problems,» she commented, announcing an upcoming study on the subject.

The living will is a modifiable document that adapts to the changing needs of the individual. «It is absolutely a living document, you can change those advance directives as much as you want,» Matute assured, emphasizing that doctors, nurses, and administrative staff are available to guide interested parties.

This increase reflects a greater awareness of the importance of planning healthcare. «For me, that is very important because it brings a lot of serenity to many patients and even to citizens who are not patients,» the counselor concluded, highlighting that the living will alleviates the emotional burden of families by ensuring that the patient’s wishes are respected.